MiamiHerald.com: Borrowers Betrayed http://www.miamiherald.com/1422/index.html MiamiHerald.com: Borrowers Betrayed http://media.miamiherald.com/images/logos/rss_sitelogo.gif http://www.miamiherald.com/1422/index.html 140 25 News, sports and entertainment from MiamiHerald.com en-us Copyright 2009 MiamiHerald.com Borrowers Betrayed 60 Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:00:22 EST http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss McClatchy Interactive's PubSys miamifeedback@miamiherald.com Ex-convicts active in mortgage fraud http://www.miamiherald.com/1422/story/876217.html http://www.miamiherald.com/1422/story/876217.html Thu, 29 Jan 2009 16:28 EST When Scott Almeida walked out of federal prison and into the mortgage business, he took a gamble. He admitted on his license application that he had been convicted of cocaine trafficking. Thousands with criminal records work unlicensed as loan originators http://www.miamiherald.com/1422/story/876309.html http://www.miamiherald.com/1422/story/876309.html Thu, 29 Jan 2009 16:28 EST Gary Kafka, former body builder with a long rap sheet and violent past, wrote millions of dollars in mortgages in South Florida without ever applying for a state license. State let crooked brokers keep working http://www.miamiherald.com/1422/story/876383.html http://www.miamiherald.com/1422/story/876383.html Thu, 29 Jan 2009 16:28 EST When state regulators showed up at Samantha Johnson's mortgage company, she had already stolen her first house. Home loan racket flourished in Florida http://www.miamiherald.com/1422/story/878194.html http://www.miamiherald.com/1422/story/878194.html Thu, 29 Jan 2009 16:28 EST Orson Benn, once a vice president at the nations largest subprime lender, spent three years during the height of the housing boom tutoring Florida mortgage brokers in the art of fraud. Case files of brokers http://www.miamiherald.com/1422/story/879895.html http://www.miamiherald.com/1422/story/879895.html Fri, 30 Jan 2009 10:41 EST <a href="http://miamiherald.com/news/borrowers-betrayed"> < Click here to return to the full series</a> <br /> About the Herald investigation http://www.miamiherald.com/1422/story/876242.html http://www.miamiherald.com/1422/story/876242.html Thu, 29 Jan 2009 16:28 EST The Miami Herald spent eight months examining the Office of Financial Regulation, the state agency responsible for regulating the mortgage industry in Florida. Identity theft is no bar to keeping a broker license http://www.miamiherald.com/1422/story/876220.html http://www.miamiherald.com/1422/story/876220.html Thu, 29 Jan 2009 16:28 EST Mortgage broker Brahms Alexis kept his state license for almost three years, even after Florida regulators and federal agents dragged him away from a closing in handcuffs. For license renewals in Florida, no criminal background checks http://www.miamiherald.com/1422/story/876228.html http://www.miamiherald.com/1422/story/876228.html Thu, 29 Jan 2009 16:28 EST At least 20 Florida mortgage brokers maintained their licenses even after committing the most obvious violation of public trust -- mortgage fraud. A criminal past, a trail of new victims http://www.miamiherald.com/1422/story/876235.html http://www.miamiherald.com/1422/story/876235.html Thu, 29 Jan 2009 16:28 EST Eighty-three-year-old W.C. Eckles limps around the outside of his house, pointing to the holes in his walls. He stuffs them with rags. He covers them with plywood. But wind, rain and mosquitoes still find their way through, tormenting his sleep, he said. Who's watching the brokers http://www.miamiherald.com/1422/story/876241.html http://www.miamiherald.com/1422/story/876241.html Thu, 29 Jan 2009 16:28 EST The Office of Financial Regulation was created by the Florida Legislature to oversee the state's banks and securities and mortgage industries. This includes licensing mortgage brokers and mortgage lenders. States act to license loan originators http://www.miamiherald.com/1422/story/876317.html http://www.miamiherald.com/1422/story/876317.html Thu, 29 Jan 2009 16:28 EST To Illinois mortgage regulator Dean Martinez, too many loan people peddled home loans without licenses. Florida regulators shun licensing for loan originators http://www.miamiherald.com/1422/story/876329.html http://www.miamiherald.com/1422/story/876329.html Thu, 29 Jan 2009 16:28 EST With Florida's housing boom revving up, Joseph Falk, the national mortgage industry's top leader, went to Florida regulators in 2002 with an urgent plea: License all mortgage professionals. Tax credit spurs home sales, but few expect it to last http://www.miamiherald.com/classifieds/real-estate/story/1348349.html http://www.miamiherald.com/classifieds/real-estate/story/1348349.html Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:53 EST Propped up by government tax credits, existing-home sales exploded in October, the National Association of Realtors said Monday. 36 states may miss Real ID deadline http://www.miamiherald.com/classifieds/real-estate/story/1342299.html http://www.miamiherald.com/classifieds/real-estate/story/1342299.html Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:41 EST While Congress debates national health care legislation that could put new fiscal burdens on the states, the nation's governors are pushing Capitol Hill for a reprieve from another costly federal program that states have long criticized: Real ID. Real estate Q&A http://www.miamiherald.com/classifieds/real-estate/story/1341600.html http://www.miamiherald.com/classifieds/real-estate/story/1341600.html Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:15 EST Question: I read your article posted online regarding the future of real estate. I noted your comment about there being fewer homeowners, and specifically fewer homeowners of expensive homes, for the future. The number of homeownership reached its peak in 2006 and is viewed as being "unsustainable" in the years to come. Neighbors work together to take care of vacant homes http://www.miamiherald.com/classifieds/real-estate/story/1341598.html http://www.miamiherald.com/classifieds/real-estate/story/1341598.html Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:15 EST Eric Blount, 51, an accountant at DTE Energy, spent the spring and summer mowing grass at his own yard in Detroit's Sherwood Forest and also at the large corner lot next door. Homeowners left in a lurch after mortgage refinancing checks bounce http://www.miamiherald.com/classifieds/real-estate/story/1331212.html http://www.miamiherald.com/classifieds/real-estate/story/1331212.html Fri, 13 Nov 2009 03:12 EST CHICAGO - In early April, Jeff Franson refinanced his mortgage, switching it from Chase to SecurityNational Mortgage Co. Charm offensive: Seeking success closer to the ground http://www.miamiherald.com/classifieds/real-estate/story/1329481.html http://www.miamiherald.com/classifieds/real-estate/story/1329481.html Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:10 EST George E. Marks seems entirely too cheerful for an owner of office developments. Commercial real estate facing worse days http://www.miamiherald.com/classifieds/real-estate/story/1329480.html http://www.miamiherald.com/classifieds/real-estate/story/1329480.html Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:10 EST From his 30th-floor Center City office, William J. Hirschfeld has an in-your-face reminder that all is not well in commercial real estate. Real estate Q&A http://www.miamiherald.com/classifieds/real-estate/story/1329479.html http://www.miamiherald.com/classifieds/real-estate/story/1329479.html Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:10 EST Question: What policies do you recommend to keep us out of the types of recessions just experienced in the United States? Real estate woes are all about the money http://www.miamiherald.com/classifieds/real-estate/story/1329477.html http://www.miamiherald.com/classifieds/real-estate/story/1329477.html Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:10 EST Mark Noble has battle scars from the last real estate debacle, when he was a developer and borrower in Tyler, Texas. How to spot a commercial real-estate recovery http://www.miamiherald.com/classifieds/real-estate/story/1329458.html http://www.miamiherald.com/classifieds/real-estate/story/1329458.html Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:05 EST Exactly when the Philadelphia region's distressed commercial real estate landscape will shed its "Space Available" banners is uncertain. Treasury announces mortgage-modification trial http://www.miamiherald.com/classifieds/real-estate/story/1327041.html http://www.miamiherald.com/classifieds/real-estate/story/1327041.html Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:36 EST Nine months ago, the Obama administration offered banks $75 billion in taxpayer money to rework troubled mortgages. FHA rule change could benefit condo market http://www.miamiherald.com/classifieds/real-estate/story/1326832.html http://www.miamiherald.com/classifieds/real-estate/story/1326832.html Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:36 EST The Federal Housing Administration is giving the condo market something it hasn't had for a while - a little breathing room.